Health expert warns against taking common painkiller amid spike in norovirus cases

With the recent spike in Norovirus cases, a health expert has warned people not to use a certain common painkiller to treat the stomach bug.

Between September 23 and October 6, NHS data shows cases are increasing earlier than compared to 2023 as there was a 29 per cent rise in infections - double the usual rate for this period.

Symptoms of the Norovirus, otherwise known as the "winter vomiting bug", are a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea which typically occur within one or two days after infection.

Epidemiologist Amy Douglas from the UK Health Security Agency commented on the rising figures.

"As we head into the winter season, we are seeing norovirus levels higher than usual, and we expect the virus to spread more in the coming weeks."

iStockphoto by Getty images

Those who become ill from Norovirus may be reaching for the medicine cupboard to find a drug to treat the symptoms.

However, Healthcare expert Savneesh Bhogal from Virtual College by Netex warned against reaching for ibuprofen.

Although ibuprofen is not recommended, Bhogal shared there's another common painkiller you can take instead to relieve symptoms - paracetamol which can relieve aches and pains, including headache and reduce your body temperature.

"Avoid taking ibuprofen, as this shouldn’t be taken on an empty stomach - and you may not feel like eating. While ibuprofen shouldn’t be taken on an empty stomach, as it can unsettle the lining, paracetamol is safe to do so," he explained.

"There is no treatment for norovirus so you have to let it run its course.

"However, you can take over-the-counter medication, to help relieve some of the symptoms associated with the illness."

But the expert cautioned: "Just make sure to avoid taking paracetamol if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it - or have liver or kidney problems."

Elsewhere, people have been taking to TikTok to share their experience of getting the awful stomach bug, as user @simonsits shared how she's "finally feeling like a human being," after recovering from the "harrowing" illness, while another user @ktfranklin was self-isolating at home and urged people to "stay safe" as she shared her experience of having Norovirus.

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